Preview of J.League Match: Hiroshima’s Home Tickets Sold Out, Two Fukuoka Yellow Bees Defenders to Watch from the Sidelines

At 17:30 on July 14th, in the 23rd round of the J.League, Sanfrecce Hiroshima will host Fukuoka Yellow Bees at the EDS Peace Wing Stadium.

In last weekend’s 22nd round of the J.League, Sanfrecce Hiroshima lost 1-3 at home to Vissel Kobe. The team once equalized the score through Naoto Nishikawa’s header and lob shot, but unfortunately, after Kobe strengthened their attacking penetration in the second half, Hiroshima had significant defensive flaws in set-pieces, ultimately suffering a bitter defeat in three consecutive home games. Regarding this comprehensive loss, Sanfrecce Hiroshima’s coach Bernd Schieber said in the post-match interview, “I think the opponents truly showed their strengths, but if we were lucky, we might have won this match. Their second goal was very fortunate.”

Currently on the J.League leaderboard, Sanfrecce Hiroshima temporarily ranks 7th with 8 wins, 10 draws, and 4 losses, lagging 7 points behind the title contenders, making it difficult for them to vie for the championship this season. However, in this season’s 11 home matches, Sanfrecce Hiroshima achieved a record of 5 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses, averaging 2 goals per game, demonstrating impressive offensive firepower. It is also noteworthy that Sanfrecce Hiroshima’s home tickets for this season were sold out early on, ensuring that the team will face full stadiums in upcoming home battles. In the midweek Emperor’s Cup match, Sanfrecce Hiroshima defeated J2 League side Iwaki FC 4-0 as visitors, but this victory came at the cost of the main squad’s physical exhaustion.

In terms of the lineup, Sanfrecce Hiroshima is expected to lose the help of central defender Daichi Yamazaki, Hayato Araki, and foreign player Ezequiel in this match. The latter suffered a thigh muscle strain against Vissel Kobe, which is already his third injury setback this season. However, with the transfer window opening, Sanfrecce Hiroshima has hopes of recruiting other midfield and defensive players from top-flight teams to strengthen the squad, and the current manpower shortage issue has been given attention.

Fukuoka Yellow Bees lost 1-2 at home to relegation-threatened Kyoto Sanga in last weekend’s league match, conceding a late goal. The team lost their previously outstanding center forward Wellington in the 27th minute of the match, and substitute Zachari, due to poor offensive discipline, missed multiple opportunities, allowing Kyoto Sanga to steal all three points with a last-minute goal by Yuta Miyamoto’s penetrating run. Regarding this regrettable loss, Fukuoka Yellow Bees’ coach Makito Hasebe told the media, “We played well under such a match atmosphere, but we didn’t get any points in the end. We should have been cautious, but we made mistakes at the last moment. We deserved at least a draw.”

Currently on the J.League leaderboard, Fukuoka Yellow Bees temporarily ranks 6th with 9 wins, 8 draws, and 5 losses, one point ahead of this match’s opponent, Sanfrecce Hiroshima. In this season’s 10 away matches, Fukuoka Yellow Bees achieved an excellent record of 5 wins, 3 draws, and 2 losses with efficient counterattacks, with an unbeaten rate as high as 80%, conceding only 0.6 goals per game, showcasing solid defense. In Wednesday’s Emperor’s Cup match, Fukuoka Yellow Bees unexpectedly lost to J2 League side Ehime FC as visitors, shattering their dream of advancing further in the cup competition. They can now focus solely on progressing in the league.

In terms of the lineup, Fukuoka Yellow Bees’ starting central defender Seiya Inoue will be sidelined due to a red card carryover from the Emperor’s Cup. Yasuya Tanda, who headed in a goal to equalize the score in the final moments of the last league match, will also miss out due to accumulated yellow cards, significantly impacting Fukuoka Yellow Bees’ defense. In addition, Fukuoka’s rear players Yohei Maeda, Ryusei Narahara, and second-choice goalkeeper Takumi Nagai continue to be sidelined due to injuries, and foreign player Ben Halifa is not expected to return until around September.

In the previous 19 encounters between the two teams, Sanfrecce Hiroshima achieved a record of 11 wins, 6 draws, and 2 losses, showing overwhelming dominance. In this round of the league, Sanfrecce Hiroshima will strive to get back on track with its excellent offensive capabilities. Will the Fukuoka Yellow Bees, with a shortage of defensive personnel, be able to pose problems for their opponents?

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